KEYWORDS

Rural counties continue to rank lowest among counties across the U.S., in terms of health outcomes, with worsening premature death rates, and significant disparities in health outcomes for marginalized populations including African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. A group of national organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National 4-H Council are leading the way to close the rural health gap by reframing research and policy analysis, demonstrating the interdependence between rural America and the rest of the nation, and bolstering economic development.